December 4, 2017

At Mt. Sinai

“In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai.”  Ex. 19:1

Sinai in Hebrew means “thorny.”  Sinai, also called Horeb, was the location the Israelites were brought to by God.  Moses went up into the mountain at Sinai to receive God’s transforming instructions for the “kingdom of priests and a holy nation,” according to Ex. 19:6. 

Once at Sinai, the Israelites were encamped for approximately one year.  The history of events that took place during that encampment is depicted in the last half of Exodus, the Book of Leviticus, and Numbers, chapters 1-11.  During that time the people were transformed by a covenant relationship with God.   The Ten Commandments were given, and God’s wisdom and leadership helped Israel mature into an organized cohesive people.  After the encampment at Sinai, we find in Numbers 10:11 the Israelites finally depart and journey to the Wilderness of Paran.  Subsequently, the Israelites begin travel from Paran to Kibroth-Hattavah (Graves of Craving) to Hazeroth, and back to Paran.  From Paran, Moses sent out twelve spies to the land of Canaan and they returned with a report after forty days.  As Numbers 13 indicates, only Joshua and Caleb came back with a positive report.  The remaining ten spies were afraid of the “giants in the land.”  And so Israel disobeyed God’s command to enter the Promised Land of Canaan.  Their consequence was to wander in the wilderness for forty years, suffer the death of the ten spies due to a plague, and experience the elimination of the entire first generation of the nation Israel, except for Moses, Joshua, and Caleb.  We also note in Numbers 14: 39-45 that despite Moses’ instructions, the Israelites attempt to go to the mountaintop without the Ark of the Covenant or with Moses.  The Israelites are left unprotected and without the presence of the LORD, and are defeated and driven back to Hormah.  And the forty year wilderness experience begins. 

We see what happened to the people of Israel as they tried to “go it alone.”  Unless the Ark of the Covenant was with them, the Israelites would always encounter defeat. The same holds true for believers today: if we walk independently and without the presence of God in our lives, we are assured of defeat in our lives!  Seeking the Lord, asking for His lead in our lives, and then following after Him with a clean heart is walking with His presence in our daily lives.  Holy Spirit, turn us to Jesus!